


The Scientific Properties of the Heart

by orphan_account



Series: Fill the Void [46]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Fluff, M/M, astroneer au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23910478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Ryan is completely smitten by one of the brightest minds in space terraforming--Dr. Gavin Free.Jeremy's punishment is to stand by and watch as Ryan fumbles around as the hopeless romantic he is.
Relationships: Gavin Free/Ryan Haywood
Series: Fill the Void [46]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663750
Kudos: 37





	The Scientific Properties of the Heart

“It’s not that I’m not _not_ in love with him. It’s just that I don’t know where I stand with him I guess. He’s like one of the most infuriating people I’ve ever met. Like one moment I can just be having a _fantastic_ conversation about the molecular changes of bipedal centurion war dog. And then the next I just want to rip my hair out because he just poke at all the holes in my thoughts and it seems like he isn’t listening and I just want to …” Ryan sighs.

 _“Yeah, you’re fucked, pal,_ ” Jeremy says over the comms.

“But is it love? Like I feel like I should be running tests on myself to study my dopamine levels. Do you think that would help?”

“ _You’re still fucked, dude. I mean. You’re going to be working alongside him for, what, six weeks?”_

“Yeah,” Ryan sighs, a bit dreamily he thinks. A bit _too_ dreamily if you ask him.

Dr. Gavin Free is coming to the Demeter Station to work with Commander Ryan Haywood for a new terraforming project for the establishment of a new colony. For the past while, it’s just been Ryan and his co-worker Jeremy, a rather lonesome working pair but they make it work. They’re both just focused on making sure the station is in tip top shape for one of the most prestigious people known in the world of terraforming.

Ryan, as it turns out, is a bit starstruck. He likes hearing Gavin talk, listens to the podcasts he makes with several other high ranking terraforming specialists, to the dumb videos he makes of new innovations. He’s funny, he’s lively, and Ryan wants nothing more than to get down on one knee and propose. While he may be a scientist, he’s a romantic at heart—cheesy romcoms and all.

As Jeremy would say, he’s a damn mess. And maybe he is. Point being, Gavin’s coming to stay with them for a while and Ryan’s on a cleaning binge because he can’t let the foremost doctor in terraforming come to their station looking like _this._

“ _Hey, Rye, I’m heading to bed. You do you, buddy._ ”

“No problem, Jeremy. You have a good night.”

“ _You love sick fool.”_

Well, he’s not wrong.

Gavin arrives in a flurry of dust and exhaust. His ship touches down and his gear is collected in the air lock. Ryan’s standing by Jeremy, giving him a look like ‘he’s here!’ He’s met Gavin only a few times at some mixers and conferences and diplomatic assignments, but he’s never had the opportunity to spend this much time with him.

“Dr. Free,” Ryan says, extending his hand warmly. “Welcome to Demeter. It’s nice to see you again.”

Gavin shakes his hand and gives him an odd look. “Ryan, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Right. Yeah. I remember you. Wow. Your own station.”

“Well,” Jeremy pipes up. “Not just _his._ ”

“Oh, right. This is my assistant Jeremy Dooley.”

“Pleasure.”

“Likewise.”

“Well,” Ryan says. “Let’s get you settled in. I’m sure you’re tired from your journey.”

“Nah, it’s all right. I’ve got a handle on it.” To prove him, Gavin sets out to roll in his equipment.

As he passes by, Jeremy gives him a look. ‘Rein it in. You’re coming off desperate.’

Okay. Maybe he’s a _bit_ much. Maybe he has been crushing a bit too hard. He’s just hoping he won’t embarrass himself over the next few weeks.

“Come on, lover boy,” Jeremy says, clapping his hand down on Ryan’s shoulder. “We’ve got work to do.”

It’s a bit surreal to be working with Gavin in this capacity. Not only is he absolutely brilliant with his chemical compounds and his knowledge of how to transform landscapes so they can become viable for life, he’s also incredibly funny. Incredibly lively as well.

Ryan’s always looking for his insight, his support, his critique. Even if he knows his answers are correct, he still every once in a while calls Gavin over just so he can double check his work. Just so he can have Gavin stand close to him, give him a bit of attention as he watched Jeremy closely out of the corner of his eyes and catches him shaking his head minutely.

When they have a moment alone, Jeremy says, “You are literally useless.”

“Let me have this one thing,” Ryan whispers.

“Do something other than flirting through work maybe?”

“I love you, wing man.”

“Fuck off, Rye. You know I’m way out of your league.”

He tries to change the tune of their conversations to be a bit personable. To actually get at who Gavin is. To try and make some sort of meaningful relationship between them before their time here was up.

But Gavin just brushes him off time and time again, saying he has some work to finish up on his own, always going off just as Ryan’s offering him a cup of coffee. Ryan doesn’t get it. Is he doing something wrong? Does Gavin adhere to different dating practices that he’s unfamiliar with? Just what is it—

“I appreciate what you do for me, Ryan,” he says after Ryan asks him after a moment of self-doubt. “But I’m just not looking for anything right now.”

So Ryan nods, steps back and gives Gavin the space he needs because clearly Gavin’s not interested and Ryan needs to take a hint. They go back to work and keep their relationship completely professional.

Was he misinterpreting some signals in the past? He thought that they’d hit it off at some point and would naturally come together in some way. Is he wrong about Gavin being interested in him?

But he puts these thoughts out of his head for the time being, bears down on compiling his research so the large scale terraformers can come down and start transforming the rock into a planet. Demeter Station will soon be out of their hands and Ryan’s looking forward to the change of pace again, looks forward to taking a break before getting a new assignment and jet setting off to somewhere else.

The day comes when all three are being transported off to a ship before docking up with a larger central space station before being taken to the planet of their choosing. Ryan’s fully aware of the looks he gets from Jeremy. Yeah, so he’s a bit quieter now, no longer looking at Gavin like he’s the only source of light in the room. No. He’s done with that. It’s time to move on, put his attention into something else. Gavin clearly isn’t interested in him that way and he’s going to respect him for that. He really is—

“Ryan? Hey, can I talk to you?”

Ryan stops dead in his tracks because he’s a weak man after all. “Yeah, what’s up?” he says, trying to keep it casual, keep it light.

Gavin fiddles with his hands awkwardly. “Um, I think I said something wrong to you a while ago. Like. When you asked me if I wanted to get coffee or just join you in your room, what I meant was that I don’t date when I’m on the job. I don’t date coworkers. So really what I meant was I won’t date you right then in the base, but I’m totally open for it now.”

Ryan blinks. “Oh. _Oh._ So you mean—“

Gavin smiles and nods. “Yeah. If you’d like to. Get some dinner some time. I don’t know. I’ve never been to this station before.”

But Ryan’s nodding, feeling his heart swell in his chest. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

Ryan’s a romantic at heart, but he can’t help resist messaging Jeremy with a message filled entirely with hearts.

‘ _you big gay nerd,’_ he replies. ‘ _go get some.’_


End file.
